5338382 Private Francis JAMES-HYDE, 1st Bn. Royal Berkshire Regiment: 15/05/1940

Remember Today

Casualty Details | CWGC
JAMES-HYDE, FRANCIS
Rank: Private
Service No: 5338382
Date of Death: 15/05/1940
Age: 21
Regiment/Service: Royal Berkshire Regiment 1st Bn.
Cemetery: LEOPOLDSBURG WAR CEMETERY
Grave Reference: VII. C. 2.
Location: Belgium
Additional Information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Kite, of Newbury, Berkshire.
Personal Inscription: IN MEMORY OF ONE WE LOVED SO DEAR. MUM AND DAD

 

From the battalion war diary

 

The CWGC concentration records show that he was moved to Leopldsburg from Gastuche Temporary Burial Ground.

I find it a shame that it was apparently decided not to retain a single concentration cemetery on the Dyle Line. Burials have been moved all over but mainly to Leopldsburg in the North East, where the BEF didn't fight.

 

15th May 1940 was the day Richard Annand won the VC at the Dyle same division . Interesting to see the Berks entry stating some of the DLI positions were overrun and they covered the DLI withdrawal ? The DLI had some blockhouses cut off and overrun but as for the withdrawal it was a shambles with at least one of the DLI companies not receiving the order. The DLI dead along with 3 RBR and 2 RWF had their burials paid for at Gastuche by the Count Laurensart.

A little comment from The Wardrobe (interesting again that they claimed their diary did not cover the Dunkirk period yet Andy found it?

Kyle

 

Kyle...Feel free to tell them I'll happily sell them a copy

 

I must get Leopldsburg this year. There's lots of BEF graves in there.